4 Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Pickups to Avoid (Week 9)

Let’s take a look at players who had strong weekly performances, but our fantasy football analysts aren’t buying it as they look ahead to this week and beyond. Here are a few players to avoid when making your fantasy football waiver wire pickups. And check out all of our fantasy football waiver wire pickups for the week.

Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Pickups to Avoid

Fool’s Gold

Samaje Perine has been getting more usage in the Bengals’ offense. He’s played between 36.8% and 46.8% of the offensive snaps in each of the Bengals’ last four games. On Sunday, Perine had nine carries for 94 yards and a touchdown. But Chase Brown played seven more snaps than Perine, had three more carries and saw two more targets. Perine is still just a handcuff at this point. As long as Brown is healthy, Perine isn’t going to provide consistent standalone value.

In Week 8, the Patriots’ Mack Hollins warmed his hands by the flames emanating from Drake Maye. The red-hot Maye threw for 282 yards and three touchdowns versus the Browns, and Hollins cashed in with a team-high seven catches for 89 yards. But entering Week 8, Hollins had a 58.7% snap share and a 7.1% target share. Don’t chase the out-of-the-blue spike week.

Sean Tucker finally got some run for the Buccaneers in Week 8, carrying 12 times for 42 yards and a touchdown. But Bucky Irving should be back soon from foot and shoulder injuries, at which point Tucker slides back to No. 3 on the Buccaneers’ running back depth chart. The Bucs are on bye in Week 9, and it’s possible Irving returns in Week 10.

Yes, Tua Tagovailoa was sharp Sunday against a normally staunch Falcons pass defense, completing 20-of-26 passes for 204 yards with four touchdowns and zero interceptions. But do you really want to ride this merry-go-round again? Tagovailoa was averaging just 12.9 fantasy points per game going into Week 8 to rank as the QB31 in that category. Even with a decent Week 9 matchup against the Ravens, Tagovailoa isn’t worth the trouble.

Successful In-Season Fantasy Football Management

Once your fantasy football team is drafted, the work is not over. Successful in-season management is crucial to a winning fantasy football season. Here are some tips to help you manage your team effectively throughout the season:

Stay up to date on player news
Keep track of player injuries, suspensions, and other news that may impact their performance. This will help you make informed decisions about which players to start each week.

Monitor the waiver wire
Keep an eye on the waiver wire and be ready to pick up players who may be undervalued or overlooked by other teams. This can provide valuable depth to your roster. Use our waiver wire assistant to view optimal lineups, waiver and trade suggestions, and league analysis.

Analyze matchups
Analyze the upcoming matchups for your players and opponents to determine which players to start in your lineup each week. Look for favorable matchups and take into account the strength of the opposing team’s defense.

Stay active in trades
Be open to trading players with other teams if it will benefit your team. Analyze the potential impact of a trade before making a decision and negotiate with other teams to find a mutually beneficial agreement.

Be prepared for bye weeks
Plan ahead for bye weeks by having backup players ready to fill in for your starters. Avoid having too many players with the same bye week, which can leave your team short-handed.

Don’t overreact to one bad week
Avoid overreacting to one bad week of performance by a player. Take a long-term view of their performance and evaluate their potential moving forward.

Continuously evaluate your roster
Continuously evaluate your roster throughout the season and make adjustments as needed. Be willing to drop underperforming players or make changes to your lineup if necessary.